BENIN CITY – Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has intensified sweeping reforms in the state’s procurement processes, placing transparency, accountability, and value-for-money at the core of governance.
According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Fred Itua, the Edo State Public Procurement Agency (EDPPA), led by its Managing Director and CEO, Ms. Deborah Okunbo, has been repositioned as the fulcrum of good governance.
The agency now ensures that every kobo spent by the government reflects the interest of Edo people.
Anchored on the Edo State Public Procurement Law, the reforms mandate full disclosure of procurement records, enforce strict oversight across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and compel stakeholders to sign a Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest Disclosure before participating in bid evaluations.
Officers with vested interests are required to step aside, a move that is eliminating collusion, bid-rigging, contract inflation, and other fraudulent practices.
The government has also introduced digitalisation and e-procurement.
Contractor registration certificates are now automated and issued electronically, while an online portal with real-time payment options will soon be launched.
A robust electronic bidding and evaluation system is being developed to onboard all MDAs.
To expand participation, contracts are now packaged into smaller lots to open opportunities for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) while keeping the process competitive enough to attract credible national and international firms.
The reforms also strengthen value-for-money benchmarks, ensuring contracts are awarded strictly to the lowest responsive and qualified bidder, subject to market-rate checks, quality assessments, and timeliness reviews.
Projects will be tracked through contract milestones and validated with citizen feedback.
Recognising the technical nature of procurement, the EDPPA has prioritised capacity building, with staff undergoing fortnightly training.
Through a partnership with the John Odigie-Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA), procurement officers are delivering lectures and workshops to civil servants, political appointees, local government officials, civil society, and the general public.
Governor Okpebholo said the state will deepen reforms with open contracting standards, artificial intelligence for fraud detection, stronger citizen oversight, and sustainability benchmarks that align with global best practices.
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to making Edo a national benchmark for procurement excellence, “where corruption has no hiding place and governance delivers maximum benefits to citizens.”
